Marinette wasn't a big fan of getting her feathers wet, she was pretty sure no one did, it just felt... wrong. Not to mention it stopped her from flying, or at the very least made it very difficult to do so. Washing feathers was a pain, she could only really get the ones that were near the edge and that was with great amounts of stretching her wings to get them in the right position. So when needed, Sabine would help her, which made Marinette's job much easier.

Marinette sat in her bath robe as Sabine brushed her damp hair and helped clean the feathers closer to her back, a comfortable silence between the two as her mother dragged a brush through her dark locks. Marinette's thoughts were clustered with memories of the night before, not only had she got in trouble for ruining her dress but it certainly didn't help that when she arrived home, she still had blood stains on her arms and legs. She had to explain to her worried parents that she was fine and that she had only fallen in the forest, and with how clumsy she is, her parents believed her.

But the one thing that kept picking at her mind was a specific demon. Did he count what happened the night before a kiss? No, of course not, he was saving her, it was completely unromantic. Then why did it feel so intimate to her? She already knew her feelings for him, she couldn't deny that she did, in fact, love him but every time she thought about him, she felt guilty, as if she doing something against the law. She technically was. She let out a large sigh at the thought, why did she have to fall for him?

"You okay dear?" Sabine asked from behind her as she continued to brush her hair, Marinette blinking in surprise when she remembered where she was. She looked over her shoulder at her mother and smiled nervously.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine!" She said, trying to sound convincing. She never was very good at that and her mother saw right through it.

"What's on your mind?" Sabine asked as she set down the brush on a nearby counter. Marinette sighed, trying to think of the best way to explain without actually having to explain.

She figured something vague would work, "Maman, do you think all demons are bad?" She asked and her mother went silent for a moment, glancing off to the side as if to think it through. Maybe her question was too specific, was her mother getting suspicious? Her life would be officially over if anyone other than Alya found out about Adrien.

"I think everyone has the potential to be bad, but that doesn't mean everyone is like that and we shouldn't judge an entire race based on stories and stereotypes. No one is born evil, you're raised into it, I just think Demons are raised poorly and they tend to see us the same way we see them. There is no right and wrong in this war, just hate.

"That being said, everyone has the potential to also be good. So to answer your question, no I do not think all Demons are bad, just as not all Angels are good. I hope one day, this war comes to an end, but the only way to do so without hurting each other; is to show love. Love is the only thing that conquers hate. It's like that saying, 'You can't fight fire with fire, you just get more fire.'"

Marinette didn't know how to reply, it certainly wasn't the answer she was expecting and yet, it made her feel much better. She couldn't help but smile and she turned to face her mother. "So you think there are good demons?"

Her mother nodded and she continued, hesitantly, "Let's say I met a nice demon, what would you think of that?" She asked, cautiously. Sabine hummed in thought and sat down on a nearby stool, Marinette once again feeling a pang of fear that perhaps she was over-sharing.

"Well, if the Demon made you happy, then I have no reason to be worried, right?" Her mother replied and Marinette grinned until Sabine added on, "But you have to know that in the Demon Kingdom, it's considered treason to befriend an Angel so you'd be risking their safety. You'd have to make a very important decision, either their friendship or their safety."

Marinette was stunned back into silence, her heart dropping into her stomach as she realized the danger she had been putting Adrien into all this time. She looked down to hide her expression from her mother, her hands clasping together tightly as she thought out what to do. She had to choose, keep Adrien in her life but risk having him killed for even knowing her or avoid him just to protect him but hurt herself in the process. There was no way to win this, it was a lose-lose situation. She didn't want to lose him but no matter what she chose, that's what would happen. Then it dawned on her that Pro Coronam was approaching fast, meaning it didn't matter what she chose, he was risking his life for the crown in two days anyway.

She took in a deep breath, forcing a smile as she glanced back up at her mother again who looked at her with concern. "Thank you Maman, I... I have to go," She said quietly, her voice brittle and on the edge of crying. She couldn't break down in front of Sabine, she'd figure out what was happening and even after everything she just said, she couldn't risk anyone finding out.

She got up, kissed her mother on the cheek and then left to go to her room, a small cosy pink area just for her, every wall pinned with an idea for an outfit. In one corner sat a mess of fabric and scraps that she still needed to clean from almost a week ago, lately she just didn't have the time. She slipped into a dress that was once again tied at the waist with a thick brown woven belt, the top half of the dress a light blue denim and the bottom half, layers of beige organdy. She liked this dress very much, she just hoped that today she wasn't attacked by hellhounds.

She left the house right after saying goodbye to her parents and glanced over at the clock tower, not realizing how fast time had gone by. She needed to be in the forest soon to meet up with Adrien but before she even stepped foot towards the border, Alya nearly tackled her from the side. The two girls stumbled and Marinette was lucky she didn't completely fall over, turning just in time to catch herself and regain balance. She turned her attention to the Angel and before she could scold her for tackling her, Alya grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the road for her to follow.

"Hey! What are you-?" Marinette started but was cut off when she saw the large crowd of angels ahead of them, all gathered for something clearly important.

"The King called everyone here and I don't wanna miss this, then as soon as this is done, you gotta tell me everything that happened yesterday between you and Adrien." She decided before Marinette could get a word in. The girl sighed and followed her friend to the group, spotting Nino in the crowd of people. He seemed to spot them as well and waved them over, a bright smile on his face. His sea foam wings contrasted greatly with his complexion and Marinette couldn't help but stare at them, which wasn't unusual for her. She loved seeing the different hues of wings each Angel got, Alya's were slightly beige and Marinette's were more peachy; a soft pink.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she realized her friends were talking to her, blinking a few times to clear her thoughts and refocus. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I said, it's nice to see you again," Nino repeated for her, an understanding look on his face. Her friends were used to her clumsy antiques and her absent-mind, she was surprised they could even stand her.

"Oh, yes, right. Nice to see you too Nino," She replied, mentally face-palming. Quite the talker she was. If there was a competition for who could make a situation awkward the fastest, she was certain she would win every time. Nino just chuckled with an amused smile and glanced over at Alya again, Marinette almost forgetting that they were a couple. Man, she had been spending way too much time with Adrien, she forgot almost everything about her angel friends.

Before any of them could get another word out, a loud ring of a nearby trumpet caused everyone to go silent as the King stepped forward onto a podium that was elevated on the balcony that led to the castle gates. The villagers were all gathered in a circle area that had a flight of stairs on either side that led to said balcony, the stairs and everything about the castle was pearly white with golden accents on the railings and the Royal Crest which hung proudly above the gates and was the stamp of anything official. The King himself was a large man, not in height but rather in weight, his eyes aged and yet still twinkling a pleasant blue and his hair was already greying. Some Angels say it was because of what happened to the Queen, sick one day and gone the next. Now it was just the King and his daughter that was apparently Marinette's age.

"My fellow Angels, we've reached a new era of time where we must pass down the crown and let the next heir to the throne rule. My daughter is taking it upon herself as my only child to do so. This will be a new slate and hopefully an end to the terror we've gone through for centuries." The King spoke loudly for all to hear, capturing everyone's attention, except Marinette was more interested in the girl who stood off to the side, a look of sheer pride on her face. The look of her was enough to annoy Marinette for some odd reason.

The King continued, "Today marks the beginning of the Angel Kingdom's newest ruler, Queen Chloe Bourgeois." He announced and the villagers burst into applause as she stepped forward to speak, taking her father's place at the podium. A nearby Angel with a crown in his hands took his place beside Chloe and placed the crown delicately on her head, obviously somewhat of a royal advisor to the castle. As soon as he backed away, Chloe turned towards the crowd once again and with a set smile that put Marinette on edge.

"It's an honour to be your newest Queen, I hope to be as exceptional as my mother before me was. Now that I'm Queen of the Angel Kingdom, I'd like to make a few changes," She started and Marinette could feel the air around turn cold, everyone going silent as they waited in anticipation. She didn't have a good feeling about this.

"As you all know, we are currently on the bridge of war with our neighbouring Kingdom. Personally, I think it'd be best if we put an end to it right now but I certainly can't do it alone. Those revolting, power-hungry creatures known as Demons have been terrorizing us for far too long, do you think my ancestors or any of your ancestors would've wanted us to cower and succumb to their feeble attacks?" Chloe ranted and Marinette couldn't believe what was happening, she glanced around at the crowd around her as they nodded and muttered in agreement.

"Their reign of terror is over! It is time for us to take a stand and rise against them, we will no longer live in fear, but instead, fight back! The future of Angels is depending on us to keep our Kingdom alive and we cannot risk those Demons to take it from us! So, who will stand with me and declare war once and for all!" She challenged with a broad smile and the response was exactly what Chloe was hoping for, every angel -save for Marinette and Alya- was agreeing with her plan to take action. The crowd cheered and chanted as Marinette slipped away, her face contorted in fear and anxiety. She couldn't let this happen, she had to stop this before it was too late but against the village and the castle, she was useless.

Then realization struck and hit her like a tonne of bricks, her heart skipping with nerves in her chest. She had to tell Adrien.

She turned and ran for the border, blocking out the chanting behind her as the crowd grew and more Angels joined in, repeating the same three words, "Kill them all!" She thought she heard Alya calling out for her but she was too far now, she ignored it and kept running, her wings behind her expanding as she prepared to take off. Once she got closer to the edge of the Kingdom, she let her wings carry her the rest of the way, her feathers already rustled and puffed out just from the news of the newest ruler. What was Chloe thinking? Declaring war on the Demons as soon as she was crowned? What possessed her to do such a thing? Marinette was the only one who knew the truth, she was the only one who saw through Chloe's set smile and innocent blue eyes. She wasn't being a hero, she was as evil as the Demons that attacked Marinette all those months ago.

Marinette scanned the forest floor below her, checking to make sure no one else was there before gliding down to the circular opening that was right in the heart of the forest, located right in the middle. Marinette dusted off her dress and tucked in her wings, pausing when she heard the rhymic sound of hooves against the ground. She quickly ducked behind a tree, her heart galloping to the same noise that grew closer with each second. She tried to steady her breathing, hoping whoever else was in this forest with her couldn't hear her quick and short breaths. She peeked out from hiding just slightly to see movement drawing closer, merely a shadow in the dark forest. Her feathers trembled with the rest of her body, the fear that this was a Demon sent to kill any Angels who passed by sending her on edge.

She could barely move, she just listened as the galloping hooves got so loud she was certain at this point that whoever the rider was had finally reached the opening. The galloping got slower until it came to a complete stop and she glanced over to the small grassy field, nearly yelping when she spotted the dark cloaked figure riding an equally dark horse. She moved to the side slightly so she was out of sight, glad they had been facing the opposite way when she looked over. She took in a deep breath through the nose, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard an unfamiliar high-pitched voice, "Someone's here," The rider dismounted the horse and the next few moments felt like time had suddenly stopped. The forest was dead silent and all she could hear was her own heartbeat racing in her chest. She had only one thought in her mind, was this where she died? This wouldn't be the first time that thought had clogged her thoughts, she had the exact same thought the night before when she was surrounded by hellhounds, that was until Adrien showed up and saved her yet again. It was always this forest, why was it that something so beautiful was always the setting of her heart-stopping fears?

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and she snapped her gaze to a cloaked figure who stood beside her, feeling all the blood in her face drain. Instinctively, she let out a scream, only to be muffled by the figure's gloved hand. Their other hand quickly pulled down their hood to reveal themselves and Marinette fell silent, her eyes widening as she immediately realized who it was. How could she forget his strikingly vibrant green eyes? Or the halo of golden hair with two furry black cat ears protruding from his head? Of course it was Adrien, who else would be at this exact spot with her at the exact time they promised to meet again? Why did she even consider it to be someone else? She didn't realize she had begun to tear up until she saw Adrien's expression, his brows furrowed in concern and his eyes doleful, obviously wanting to comfort her but not even sure why she had started crying in the first place.

She wasn't even sure why she was suddenly weeping, all she knew was she felt overwhelmed, her heart heavy with emotions. Seeing him here made everything crash down on her, her mother's words from earlier, Chloe's sudden announcement and now the reminder that she had to let him go. Why couldn't they've met before all of this? She just wanted to go back to the way things were when they would rendezvous in the forest and just talk freely, laughing and smiling without a care. That's why she fell for him after all, it was those happy memories with him that made her heart-throb but now...

Adrien took a step back, letting his hands fall to his sides as he searched for the right words to say. Marinette looked down to hide her blubbering face from him, using the back of her hands to wipe her eyes. She forced a smile, as brittle and weak as it was, and looked back up at him.

"S-Sorry, I got a little emotional." She sniffed, trying to get a hold of herself. She had never cried in front of him before, she didn't want today to be that day. He gave her a sympathetic look and she glanced away again, wiping her teary eyes again.

"It's okay to cry, I'm just... confused. Did I-?" He started and Marinette shook her head, cutting him off before he could accuse himself. She let out a weak laugh and forced another smile, her feathers rustling behind her.

"No, no, it's not your fault. I've had a very... eventful morning."

"So have I..."

They both fell silent, not sure who should start first. She had to tell him about Chloe but this may or may not be the last time she saw him, she wanted to forget about everything happening around them and just focus on him. She decided to say something to try and lighten the mood, "What's with the cloak?"

He glanced up, blinking in surprise before turning his attention to said cloak, "Oh, well I snuck out of the castle today to walk around the village and had to cover up my wings so no one would recognize me. It didn't work out so well..." He answered with a small chuckle. She smiled slightly.

"Why not?"

"It's a long story,"

"I have time if you do,"

He glanced up at her and she only smiled, as if the events from a moment ago never happened. He couldn't help but smile back and Marinette swore she saw something more to it than just a friendly gesture but he was able to hide it well, it almost looked like... admiration? No, it was definitely just a smile.

"I got time,"

Adrien told Marinette everything that happened that morning, how he snuck into the village and protected a Pooka, then got attacked by a group of Demons which led to accidentally showing himself to everyone. He left out the part about meeting Lila, he figured it wasn't very important and he didn't want to give Marinette any ideas. After all, he did tell Plagg that he would finally confess his feelings to Marinette today, he didn't want her thinking he had fallen for someone else. They had sat down in their usual spot, sitting in the grass and letting the sun be their warm blanket.

"It was really nice of you to protect that Pooka, even if it meant letting those Demons hurt you." Marinette complimented and Adrien glanced off to the side, feeling his cheeks heat up. He shifted slightly, letting his wings stretch behind him now that he had taken off the cloak. It laid off to the side, soaking up the sun. Adrien didn't like wearing all black constantly, it was always way too hot to wear outside but today the winds picked up the chilly air from the coast, rustling the leaves of the trees and the feathers of all who lived here. He had lost a few more of his feathers, which led him to believe he was moulting. It made sense with his birthday coming up but it was always so annoying to lose feathers only for new ones to grow in. He wondered what shade of black they would be this time.

He nearly rolled his eyes at the sarcasm in his thoughts but stopped himself before he could do so. He cleared his throat and changed the subject, "The Pooka is named Tikki by the way, she's the horse I rode here actually." He explained and pointed over at the black horse who was feasting on the grass, her blue eyes glancing over at the pair knowingly.

"Oh, is she the one who spoke when you arrived? I thought I heard a voice," Marinette pointed out and Adrien nodded, a small proud smile on his face. He glanced back at the Angel and thought for a moment before suddenly grabbing her hand and pulling her up, bringing her over to the Pooka.

"Wait, what are you-?" She started but before she could finish, she was standing in front of the Pooka, staring back at its blue eyes. Adrien stayed beside her, knowing all too well what might happen if the Pooka didn't warm up to Marinette right away. He didn't want to put her through that so he kept his hold on her hand.

"Just relax, Pooka's are very intelligent creatures, they can tell if someone is a good person or not. You'll be fine," Adrien assured and she glanced over at him with a smile, the type of smile that made his heart skip a beat. Adrien returned his gaze to the horse and watched as Tikki stared curiously at the Angel, keeping a safe distance between the two.

"What do I do?" Marinette asked and Adrien took a step towards Tikki, lifting his free hand so that it rested gently on her muzzle. He glanced back at the Angel with a smile and beckoned her to come closer, she did so hesitantly, slowly raising a hand out towards the Pooka who surprisingly didn't draw back at the sudden close vicinity. Adrien felt like he had stopped breathing, telling himself that nothing would happen to her and that he had nothing to worry about but with Pooka's, they were so unpredictable, he had no idea what would happen.

Then Marinette's hand touched the horse's muzzle and there was a moment where nothing happened and Adrien swore he didn't breathe a single time during the silence until Tikki took a step forward and leaned into Marinette's hand. Adrien smiled, mostly relieved but also proud that he had been of some help in all of this. He got her to do it, that was awarding enough.

"You did it," He beamed, finally able to breathe again.

"I did it?"

He chuckled and let go of her hand, noticing how she glanced over at him as he did so, looking almost disappointed. Then she slowly brought her other hand up to caress the Pooka's mane, earning an approving whine from the animal. She smiled brightly and Adrien found himself staring, taking in every detail of her as if it was the last time he could. Perhaps it was. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, not sure why he was purposely looking for a way to make himself upset about all of this. He just needed to calm down and appreciate her company without having to think about any Demon Kingdoms or what was in store for him when he returned.

"Tikki seems to like you, I think you should take her with you," He said and Marinette glanced over at him with wide eyes, looking at him as if he had just said the most absurd thing she's ever heard.

She shook her head, "N-No, I couldn't possibly-"

"Please? She deserves a better home than mine and besides, I already have Plagg. Consider it a gift."

'More like a parting gift,' He thought and nearly smacked his own head.

Marinette's lips tugged into a grateful smile, one that Adrien was sure could melt steel. She shared a glance with Tikki and eventually gave in, sighing as she did so. "Alright, I'll take her home. But what am I suppose to tell my parents?" She asked and Adrien gestured to the forest around them.

"Tell them you found her in the forest, you technically aren't lying. Just don't mention the fact that a Demon gave her to you," He said with a smile and Marinette hummed in delight, her gaze slowly shifting to the ground. After a moment, the smile on her face disappeared and was replaced by a hardened look, sadness clouding her features as her wings drooped. He could tell that she had something troubling on her mind and he knew this wouldn't end well. He felt his feathers tremble and he was sure he had just lost a few more of them in the process.

"Adrien, I have to tell you something," She started and Adrien swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to mask his anxiety. He supposed he had lost his chance to confess to her, so he crossed his arms and waited for her to continue, inwardly cursing himself for not saying something earlier.

Marinette hesitated and let out a sigh, "The Angel Kingdom has a new ruler, a girl around my age. She... She's decided to declare war on your Kingdom," The words came out quietly and yet Adrien could still hear it clear as day. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as the colour drained from his face, panic etched in his features. Marinette refused to meet his gaze, but he knew she felt the same way. This ruined everything, his chances of surviving the Pro Coronam were now nothing compared to his chances of becoming King for longer than a day. If he did win, which he was almost certain he wouldn't, he would then be faced with the impossible task of leading not only a Kingdom but an entire Demon army to battle. All of those casualties would be on his conscious, the blood would be on his hands, for the rest of his sad lonely life.

"Is she insane?" He asked before he could filter his thoughts into words, everything just spilt out. His wings snapped open threateningly without his consent, "She just became Queen and this is what she does? And without proper reason!"

Marinette finally met his gaze, taken aback that he had suddenly raised his voice if only just slightly. He didn't usually break his calm composure around her but lately, he was too stressed to give a damn but anything anymore. Still, the look of distress and concern from the Angel was enough to knock a bit of sense into him.

"She's starting a war for the sake of starting a war, she grew up being taught that Demons were merciless monsters so, in her mind, she has a very good reason." Marinette retorted, showing a bit of that sassy side that Adrien had the honours to witness on special occasions such as today. It was certainly one way to shut him up.

"So, what do we do?" He asked, hoping she had come up with some brilliant plan. She paused, almost grimacing at whatever thought had come to mind and eventually sighed in defeat.

"I can't do much but you possibly can, you just need to warn your people."

"They won't listen and besides, Pro Coronam is my father's main priority right now."

She paused as if picking her next few words carefully before speaking, "You never really did explain what that was to me, last night was kinda... hectic."

Adrien went quiet for a moment, his brows knitting together as he thought of the best way to explain something so terrible. How do you explain something that was designed by savages?

"It's..." He began slowly, "a battle between four Demons, there's no time limit and no rules, just kill everyone and be the last one standing. If you survive, you become the next ruler. I don't think there's ever been a Demon Queen, then again I don't think any females have tried in Pro Coronam."

He shook his head slightly before continuing, "It's unfair and cruel and I want no part in any of it but... my father couldn't care less about what I want."

He examined Marinette's expression as she had yet to reply, her eyes shifting downcast as she seemed to think something through. He could practically see the cogs turning in her head. Before he could ask, she met his gaze with a firm, determined stare.

"You can't compete in that, we have to find another way to get you out of this." She decided, her wings tense behind her. Adrien raised a questioning brow, ruffling his feathers as he took a step towards her. Tikki had long since moved out of the way of the two, watching from the other side of the clearing.

"Like what?"

"Like..." She hesitated and he noticed how she shifted her weight on her bare feet, "Running away?" The words came out like a small squeak but he was positive he heard what she said. His wings practically fell limp.

"Run away? T-Together?" He resented the fact that he just stuttered but he was too overwhelmed with other emotions to care. Marinette nodded and he felt like his heart was going to burst. The girl he just recently found out he had undeniable feelings for wanted to run away with him, he was pretty sure that was almost the same thing as eloping in the woods.

He couldn't stop the dumb grin that spread across his face, his reaction obviously catching Marinette by surprise. Before she could ask, he took hold of her hands and took a step towards her, deciding against just hugging her right there. He wanted to, she just single-handedly got rid of all of his problems.

"Let's do it, let's run away. There's nothing here for me anyway," He finally answered, Marinette's look of shock melting into a smile.

"Really? Then we'll leave tomorrow, early so we can get out before your father finds out. We can cross the lake and find other mainlands, I'm sure anywhere is better than here." She giggled and Adrien felt the pleasant warmth in his chest grow. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but that was before he realized it may ruin everything. If she rejected him, this whole plan may be called off and he would be forced into the Pro Coronam tournament. The thought made his blood run cold, but he faked a smile and didn't show his raising anxiety.

Marinette's smile suddenly faded and he wondered if he had looked too evidently troubled but when her gaze fell to the floor and her grip on his hands loosened, he became concerned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She was silent for a moment before sighing, her gaze glued to the forest floor. "It's... It's nothing," She murmured. He wasn't falling for it.

"Is this about running away? You- Oh." He started but then it clicked, he could easily run away from his Kingdom. He had nothing to lose but Marinette... She had a family and her friend Alya, he was sure that when it came to losing something in all of this, she had everything. He didn't want to be the reason for her to never see her parents again. He gave her hands a small squeeze and she glanced up at him, her eyes glassy.

"Mari... You don't have to come with me if you don't want to leave your parents. I understand and I shouldn't have forced you into this, in fact, I shouldn't have involved you at all." He said and was taken aback by the look of hurt that crossed her face.

"N-No, I want to be w- I mean, go with you. You're my friend Adrien, probably one of my closest friends. You mean a lot to me and I don't want you to go through this alone, so I'm coming with you." She stated, her expression changing to one full of determination with a tinge of blush across her cheeks. The corners of his mouth turned up, his smile soft and appreciative. Without much thought, he brought the angel closer, clinging to her tightly in a warm embrace. She didn't hesitate to hug him back, her hands resting on his back just below his tucked in wings. He felt her own wings flutter as a content sigh escaped her, her head resting against his shoulder.

He wanted to stay like that forever and forget everything about his father, Pro Coronam and the Angel Queen, he just wanted to be with Marinette and never leave her side. He reminded himself that if all goes well, he'd be leaving the next day with her, only a day before his birthday. He took in a deep breath, breathing in the aroma of the forest and a delightful scent he had only ever smelt on Marinette, it was sweet and he was pretty sure it was the smell of something called bread, according to the angel. Either way, it was her scent and he loved it.

It felt like hours before they finally pulled away, Marinette's gaze was glued to the ground to hide her evident blush that crept up her cheeks and Adrien couldn't seem to wipe the smile off his face. Perhaps after everything that happened today, his luck would finally change. After all, he was going to be running away with an angel he had fallen for, leaving all the pain and suffering of his past behind him. Now he just had to wait for morning, as long as nothing happened.

But his bad luck tends to creep up on him in the best and worse of times.

Adrien wanted to go straight to his room and just sleep the rest of the day away but instead of walking in to find Plagg, he found two unpleasant looking guards waiting for him. His heart dropped, this must've been because of what happened earlier in the village, it had to be. He was prepared to be scolded to about ruining his reputation and acting more civilized, after all, he was the Prince, he shouldn't have been even talking to such commoners. At least, that's what his father would say. Adrien didn't mind speaking to villagers, he even made a new friend due to this. Lila Rossi, a strange and different demon. She didn't strike him as merciless and brutal, she was just... friendly.

"What are you two doing in here?" He asked, dealing with the problem at hand with as much patience as he could possibly muster. The guards wore a metal helmet that covered most of their faces, giving Adrien an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He always hated that he couldn't see their eyes, Marinette had taught him months ago that you could tell a person's emotions with just their eyes; something about eyes being the window to the soul.

"The King has ordered your presence immediately," One of them spoke up, his voice sounding vaguely familiar from earlier when Adrien was sneaking around the castle. Then he remembered that this was the demon that was trash talking him about being too weak to win Pro Coronam. Adrien couldn't help but scowl. The guard moved forward to grab him but stopped when the door to the room reopened, Adrien turning to face his father. He felt his breath catch in his throat.

"F-Father, what's all this about?" He asked, his voice wavering slightly much to his disapproval. Gabriel didn't answer at first, instead made his way across the room, taking in the sight of it. That's when Adrien noticed Plagg curled up in the corner, his fur standing up on end and his green eyes staring daggers at the intruders. Gabriel seemed to notice him as well, but paid him no attention and walked over to the balcony, his hands behind his back and his wings dragging against the floor. Adrien felt his own rustle in apprehension. He had a very bad feeling about this.

"This isn't about what happened in the village today, is it?" Adrien guessed, his eyes meeting his father's for a moment before the man turned his attention back to the window of the balcony, seemingly looking at the Angel Kingdom across the forest.

"No, it is not. It has been brought to my attention that you are not fully capable of fighting in the tournament tomorrow,"

"Tomorrow? You said it was-" Adrien blurted but Gabriel cut him off, raising a hand to do so.

"Things changed. Such as the status of the war between Kingdoms. Have you heard?" Gabriel asked, turning to face his son. Adrien didn't answer, not willing to risk telling him the truth about Marinette. Gabriel frowned, "I see... So you do know. The Angels want to declare war and of course, with the crown being passed down soon, we need a strong leader. I would do it myself but I know you're more than capable of doing it."

"But you just said that I'm not capable of fighting tomorrow?" Adrien pointed out and Gabriel nodded in acknowledgement.

"Yes, I'm aware. There's no chance of you winning tomorrow, not without some help, which I will be giving."

"How?" Adrien asked, and yet he didn't want to know. His father's words made his blood run cold and his wings tense.

"By altering you,"

Adrien stared at him as if he had just said the most absurd thing in the world, "What?" He squeaked out.

"I'm going to turn you into the Demon warrior we all need, so there's no doubt you'll win tomorrow. The process will be unpleasant but desperate times call for desperate measures," Gabriel explained and Adrien didn't have time to react before the guards took hold of his arms on either side, tying down his wings so he couldn't break free. He tried to pull his arms out of their grip but it was useless, he couldn't escape their hold on him. He felt like a trapped bird, about to be taken to its inescapable prison.

"Father, no, please don't do this!" He cried out, his voice soaked in desperation. He saw Plagg hesitate to move, and the blond simply glanced over at the cat and shook his head. He didn't want Plagg to get hurt, so it was better if he just stayed out of it.

"You'll thank me one day for this Adrien. You're too genial and that's what makes you weak, you hold no authority. Just like your mother," Gabriel spat the last few words as if it was poison to him. Adrien glared at him, his jaw tightening in aggravation. Even though Adrien had never met his mother, Nathalie had once told him that he was exactly like her and that wasn't a bad thing, she was the kindest person Nathalie had ever met. For his father to insult both Adrien and his mother, it sparked a flame of rage inside him.

"It is the old dragon from the abyss of hell who is standing before me. You're a coward and I'm ashamed to call you my father," Adrien sneered, not at all fazed by the glare his father shot him, he had expected it. What he didn't expect, was a sudden sharp pain on the side of his neck, his head craning over to see a syringe in one of the guard's hand. Whatever was in the syringe immediately took effect and his vision began to blur, his mind clouding over as he struggled to stay awake.

The last thing he saw was a smirk on his father's face as he was dragged away.

A/N: .ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjf8on7_uvVAhVq5IMKHdQuBdsQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F% .com%2Fexplore%2Fcute-outfits-for-teens%2F&psig=AFQjCNEBviy_k51k2ySsJX779F4BxAE1Sg&ust=1503530755058930

^^the link to the reference I got for Marinette's outfit.

Also if you're wondering why this is all moving so quickly, it's suppose to. This story was originally suppose to be just the first chapter, just a small drabble but eventually decided to make it a short story. If you guys want more when this story is done (it's not yet don't worry) let me know!